Methods

PubMed/MEDLINE, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, EMBASE, CINAHL, and PsycInfo
were searched from inception to September 2011 for systematic reviews/meta-analyses.
Quality assessment was rigorously performed using the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines
Network (SIGN 50) checklist and the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development
and Evaluation (GRADE) methodology. Adherence to the Standards for Reporting Interventions
in Clinical Trials in Acupuncture (STRICTA) criteria was also assessed.

Results

Of the 1,480 citations identified by our searches, 52 systematic reviews/meta-analyses,
all high quality except for one, met inclusion criteria for each TSR component except
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and sexual function. The majority of reviews
addressed most STRICTA components, but did not describe safety.

Conclusions

Based on the results of our review, acupuncture appears to be effective for treating
headaches and, although more research is needed, seems to be a promising treatment
option for anxiety, sleep disturbances, depression and chronic pain. It does not,
however, demonstrate any substantial treatment benefit for substance abuse. Because
there were no reviews on PTSD or sexual function that met our pre-defined inclusion
criteria, we cannot comment on acupuncture’s effectiveness in treating these conditions.
More quality data are also needed to determine whether acupuncture is appropriate
for treating fatigue or cognitive difficulties. Further, while acupuncture has been
shown to be generally safe, safety was not described in the majority of studies, making
it difficult to provide any strong recommendations. Future research should address
safety reporting in detail in order to increase our confidence in acupuncture’s efficacy
across the identified TSR components.